The profitability of feeding supplement depends on (apart from supplement and milk price) milk response per unit of energy in the supplement.

The milk response decreases significantly when the cow is well fed on pasture (i.e. residuals are greater than 1500-1600 kg DM/ha).

ricottacheeseIn spring/Rainy season, supplements will almost never be profitable when there is enough pasture, as the pasture left behind, due to substitution, is going to be wasted and the quality of the pastures in future rounds will be reduced.

In the dry season, supplements can be used to build cover and, in these cases, it can be profitable to feed supplements even when you have enough pasture.

Spring (Rainy Season)

Response g MS/MJ ME g MS/kg DM at 11 ME Residuals and average pasture cover (APC)¹ Supplement Other
<3.0 <30 9.5 clicks or 1800kg DM/ha. At or above APC target Quality < 10.5 ME; Wastage 30% plus (fed in wet weather; poor stack mgt) Pasture quality in subsequent rotations poor & less pasture grown
3.5-5.5 40-55 8-9.5 clicks (1600-1800kg DM/ha); stop feeding at target APC. Average quality 10-10.5 ME; Wastage 25%-30% Supplement feeding stopped too late creating surplus
5.5-7.5 60-80 6.5-7.5 clicks (1350-1550kg DM/ha if supplement not fed; residuals <8.0 clicks when supplement fed. Good quality 10.5-11.0ME; Wastage 20% or less Short term feed deficit (<10days). Supplement feeding stopped before APC cover target achieved
8.0-12.0 90-130 Residual < 6 clicks (1350kg DM/ha) if supplement not fed. When supplement fed residuals 6-7 clicks (1350-1500 kg DM/ha); APC well below target (> 300 kg DM/ha deficit). Good quality > 10.5 ME  Low wastage 15% or less (feeding maize or PKE in bins/on feed pad) Cows grazing to < 6 clicks for 10 days plus; supplement feeding stopped in anticipation of target cover being met. Responses increase with the period of severe underfeeding  (8.0g/ME at least 2 weeks; 10g/ME 4 weeks; 12g/ME 5 weeks)

Note 1: One click = 0.5cm compressed height

Summer (Dry Season)

Response g MS/MJ ME g MS/kg DM at 11 ME Residuals and average pasture cover (APC)¹ Supplement Other
<3.0 <30 Leaving more than 8.0 clicks Or very poor quality <10.5 ME and high wastage 30% plus Supplement fed to culls. Spared pasture lost when rains
3.5-5.5 40-60 7.0-8.0 clicks (1500-1650kg DM/ha) Good quality 10.5 + ME; Wastage 20-25%-30% Supplement fed to culls; rotation length extended to 25 days +
6.0-7.5 65-80 Less than 7.0 clicks (1500kg DM/ha) residuals Good quality 10.5-11.0 ME; Wastage 20% or less Culls gone before supplement fed; rotation length slowed cow condition loss held or small loss
7.5-11.0 90-120 Residuals <6 clicks (1350kg DN/ha) if no supplement fed Good quality 10.5+ ME; Low wastage 15% or less (feeding in bins/on feed pad) If supplement not fed cows dried off – significant inc. DIM/ha; cow condition held

Note 1: One click = 0.5cm compressed height

Very Dry Season/ Autumn

Response g MS/MJ ME g MS/kg DM at 11 ME Residuals and average pasture cover (APC)¹ Supplement Other
<3.0 <30 Leaving 9.5 clicks plus (1800kg DM/ha); at or above APC Quality <10.5 ME; wastage 30% plus (fed in wet weather; poor stack mgt) Lactation not extended i.e. no increase in days in milk (DIM) per ha; loss pasture quality
3.5-4.5 40-55 8.0-9.5 clicks (1600-1800kg DM/ha); stop feeding at target APC Average quality 10.0-10.5 ME; wastage 25%-30% DIM/ha unchanged; rotation length not slowed to build cover; residuals too high
5.5-6.5 60-70 7.0-7.5 clicks (1500-1550kg DM/ha) residuals Good quality 10.5-11.0 ME; wastage 20% or less Rotation length slowed and increase in DIM/ha; cow condition and APC at calving targets met
7.0-8.0 80-90 Residuals <6 clicks (1350kg DM/ha) if no supplement fed; residuals 7 clicks (1500kg DM/ha); APC well below target Good quality 10.8+ ME; low wastage 15% or less (feeding maize or PKE in bins/on feed pad) If supplement not fed cows dried off – significant increase DIM/ha. Cow condition & cover targets achieved.

Note 1: One click = 0.5cm compressed height